# Deploy to Render (Prisma ORM v7) (/docs/orm/v7/prisma-client/deployment/traditional/deploy-to-render)

> For the complete Prisma documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.prisma.io/docs/llms.txt). A markdown version of any docs page is available by appending `.md` to its URL.

Learn how to deploy a Node.js server that uses Prisma ORM to Render

Location: ORM > v7 > Prisma Client > Deployment > Traditional > Deploy to Render

This guide explains how to deploy a Node.js server that uses Prisma ORM and PostgreSQL to Render.

**Questions answered in this page**

* How to deploy Prisma apps on Render?
* How to run migrations before start?
* What Render settings are recommended?

The [Prisma Render deployment example](https://github.com/prisma/prisma-examples/tree/latest/deployment-platforms/render) contains an Express.js application with REST endpoints and a simple frontend. This app uses Prisma Client to fetch, create, and delete records from its database.

## About Render [#about-render]

[Render](https://render.com) is a cloud application platform for deploying and scaling full-stack applications. For this example, it's helpful to know:

* Render lets you deploy long-running, "serverful" full-stack applications. You can configure Render services to [autoscale](https://docs.render.com/scaling) based on CPU and/or memory usage. This is one of several [deployment paradigms](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/v7/prisma-client/deployment/deploy-prisma) you can choose from.
* Render natively supports [common runtimes](https://docs.render.com/language-support), including Node.js and Bun. In this guide, we'll use the Node.js runtime.
* Render [integrates with Git repos](https://docs.render.com/github) for automatic deployments upon commits. You can deploy to Render from GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. In this guide, we'll deploy from a Git repository.

## Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

* Sign up for a [Render](https://render.com) account

## Get the example code [#get-the-example-code]

Download the [example code](https://github.com/prisma/prisma-examples/tree/latest/deployment-platforms/render) to your local machine.

```bash
curl https://codeload.github.com/prisma/prisma-examples/tar.gz/latest | tar -xz --strip=2 prisma-examples-latest/deployment-platforms/render
cd render
```

## Understand the example [#understand-the-example]

Before deploying, review the example code.

### Web application [#web-application]

The logic for the Express app is in two files:

* `src/index.js`: The API. The endpoints use Prisma Client to fetch, create, and delete data from the database.
* `public/index.html`: The web frontend. The frontend calls a few of the API endpoints.

### Prisma schema and migrations [#prisma-schema-and-migrations]

The Prisma components of this app are in two files:

* `prisma/schema.prisma`: The data model of this app. This example defines two models, `User` and `Post`. The format of this file follows the [Prisma schema](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/v7/prisma-schema/overview).
* `prisma/migrations/<migration name>/migration.sql`: The SQL commands that construct this schema in a PostgreSQL database. You can auto-generate migration files like this one by running [`prisma migrate dev`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/v7/prisma-migrate/understanding-prisma-migrate/mental-model#what-is-prisma-migrate).

### Render Blueprint [#render-blueprint]

The `render.yaml` file is a [Render blueprint](https://docs.render.com/infrastructure-as-code). Blueprints are Render's Infrastructure as Code format. You can use a Blueprint to programmatically create and modify services on Render.

A `render.yaml` defines the services that will be spun up on Render by a Blueprint. In this `render.yaml`, we see:

* **A web service that uses a Node runtime**: This is the Express app.
* **A PostgreSQL database**: This is the database that the Express app uses.

The format of this file follows the [Blueprint specification](https://docs.render.com/blueprint-spec).

### How Render deploys work with Prisma Migrate [#how-render-deploys-work-with-prisma-migrate]

In general, you want all your database migrations to run before your web app is started. Otherwise, the app may hit errors when it queries a database that doesn't have the expected tables and rows.

You can use the Pre-Deploy Command setting in a Render deploy to run any commands, such as database migrations, before the app is started.

For more details about the Pre-Deploy Command, see [Render's deploy guide](https://docs.render.com/deploys#deploy-steps).

In our example code, the `render.yaml` shows the web service's build command, pre-deploy command, and start command. Notably, `npx prisma migrate deploy` (the pre-deploy command) will run before `npm run start` (the start command).

| **Command**        | **Value**                        |
| :----------------- | :------------------------------- |
| Build Command      | `npm install --production=false` |
| Pre-Deploy Command | `npx prisma migrate deploy`      |
| Start Command      | `npm run start`                  |

## Deploy the example [#deploy-the-example]

### 1. Initialize your Git repository [#1-initialize-your-git-repository]

1. Download [the example code](https://github.com/prisma/prisma-examples/tree/latest/deployment-platforms/render) to your local machine.
2. Create a new Git repository on GitHub, GitLab, or BitBucket.
3. Upload the example code to your new repository.

### 2. Deploy manually [#2-deploy-manually]

1. In the Render Dashboard, click **New** > **PostgreSQL**. Provide a database name, and select a plan. (The Free plan works for this demo. Render's Free Postgres databases expire 30 days after creation.)
2. After your database is ready, look up its [internal URL](https://docs.render.com/postgresql-creating-connecting#internal-connections).
3. In the Render Dashboard, click **New** > **Web Service** and connect the Git repository that contains the example code.
4. Choose a paid compute plan, because Render runs the Pre-Deploy Command only on paid web services. Provide the following values during service creation:

| **Setting**                                                  | **Value**                                              |
| :----------------------------------------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------- |
| Language                                                     | `Node`                                                 |
| Build Command                                                | `npm install --production=false`                       |
| Pre-Deploy Command (Note: this may be in the "Advanced" tab) | `npx prisma migrate deploy`                            |
| Start Command                                                | `npm run start`                                        |
| Environment Variables                                        | Set `DATABASE_URL` to the internal URL of the database |

Your web service will be live at its `onrender.com` URL as soon as the build finishes.

### 3. (optional) Deploy with Infrastructure as Code [#3-optional-deploy-with-infrastructure-as-code]

You can also deploy the example using the Render Blueprint. Follow Render's [Blueprint setup guide](https://render.com/docs/infrastructure-as-code#setup) and use the `render.yaml` in the example. The example sets the web service to `plan: free`; change it to a paid compute plan so that Render runs the pre-deploy command.

## Bonus: Seed the database [#bonus-seed-the-database]

Prisma ORM includes a framework for [seeding the database](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/v7/prisma-migrate/workflows/seeding) with starter data. In our example, `prisma/seed.js` defines some test users and posts.

To add these users to the database, we can either:

1. Add the seed script to our Pre-Deploy Command, or
2. Manually run the command on our server via an SSH shell

### Method 1: Pre-Deploy Command [#method-1-pre-deploy-command]

If you manually deployed your Render services:

1. In the Render dashboard, navigate to your web service.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Set the Pre-Deploy Command to: `npx prisma migrate deploy; npx prisma db seed`

If you deployed your Render services using the Blueprint:

1. In your `render.yaml` file, change the `preDeployCommand` to: `npx prisma migrate deploy; npx prisma db seed`
2. Commit the change to your Git repo.

### Method 2: SSH [#method-2-ssh]

Render allows you to SSH into your web service.

1. Follow [Render's SSH guide](https://docs.render.com/ssh) to connect to your server.
2. In the shell, run: `npx prisma db seed`

## Related pages

- [`Deploy to Fly.io`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/v7/prisma-client/deployment/traditional/deploy-to-flyio): Learn how to deploy a Node.js server that uses Prisma ORM to Fly.io
- [`Deploy to Heroku`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/v7/prisma-client/deployment/traditional/deploy-to-heroku): Learn how to deploy a Node.js server that uses Prisma ORM to Heroku
- [`Deploy to Koyeb`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/v7/prisma-client/deployment/traditional/deploy-to-koyeb): Learn how to deploy a Node.js server that uses Prisma ORM to Koyeb Serverless Platform
- [`Deploy to Railway`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/v7/prisma-client/deployment/traditional/deploy-to-railway): Learn how to deploy an app that uses Prisma ORM and Prisma Postgres to Railway
- [`Deploy to Sevalla`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/v7/prisma-client/deployment/traditional/deploy-to-sevalla): Learn how to deploy a Node.js server that uses Prisma ORM to Sevalla